Letter-copying press



(No Modem 2 SeetsfSheet-I. H. GRIFFIN.

LETTER COPYING PRESS. 1

No. 339,643.. Patented Apr. 13, 1886.

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(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheen 2.- H. GRIFFIN.

LETTER- GOPYING PRESS. No. 339,643. Patented Apr. 13, 1886.

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LETTER-COPYING PRESS.

SPBCEFICATION fcrming part of Letters Patent No. 339,643, dated April 13, 1886.

Application iiled January 1S, 1854. Serial No. 117,958. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern,.-

Be it known that l, HORACE Gairrin, a citizen of the United States, residing at N ew Haven, in the countyof New Haven and State of' Connecticut, have invented certain new and uselul Improvements in Letter-Copying Presses; of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to portable copyingpresses, whcrei n the platen is operated through the medium of a lever.

According to this invention, the base-plate has at cach end an upwardly-extending standard or plate provided with langed ends or guideways, and the top plate is supported in position at each end between inwardly-projecting lugs on plates, which tit and slide vertically wit-hin the flanged ends of the standard attached to the base. On the outer face of each sliding plate are notches or pins with which a disk cngages,in order that upon turn ing said disks in one direction said plates and the theretoeonnccted top plate of the press will be raised, while by turning said disks in the opposite direction said parts will be lowered for the purpose of regulating the height of the space between the base and top of the press, and thereby adapting the press for use with. books of dili'erent thicknesses. The platen is separate from the top plate of the press, land is centrally attached to the lower end of a plunger, which extends upward through the top plate of the press, and has pivoted thereto one end of a lever, which is centrally jonrnaled within standards attached to the top plate, the opposite end of said lever extending across the path of and being raised by a cam mounted upon a cross-shaft, which is journaled in other vstandards attached to the top plate, and on which shaft the lever or handle for operating the platen is mounted. The platen is supported and returned to its highest position, upon the handle being turned to throw ont of operating position, by means of springs whose inner ends are attached to suitable bosses or pins on the inner faces of the plates supporting the top plate of the press,or in other convenient position.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a perspective view oi my improved copying-press. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the parts raised in readiness to receive a book, the top plate being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional end view. Fig. 4 represents in detail a perspective View of the cam and shaft thereof. Fig. 5 represent-s an elevation of a portion of the sliding plate on which the top plate of the 'press is supported. Fig. 6 represents an elevation of the inner face of one of the disks for operating the sliding plates. Fig. 7 represents in vertical elevation one of the vertical standards attached to the hase-plate, one of the vertical sliding plates,and a modified form of disk for raising and lowering said vertical sliding plates.

A denotes the base-plate of my press, said base-plate being provided at its ends with transverse standards B, having guideways C at their ends.

D is the top plate o the press,said top plate being supported hy vertical end plates, G, having iiangcs E, by which they are attached to the top plate. The plates G are provided on their outer faces with lugs or teeth H, engaged by volute or spiral threads J on disks I, said disks being journaled in the standards B, and having thumb-pieces a, by which they may be turned, the plates G having slots K,through which the journals of said disks pass, thus permitting the plates G to be adjusted vertically on the stationary standards B. VvThen the disks I are turned in one direction, the spiral threads or coils on the inner faces of said disks will engage with the teeth H, and by their canrlike action upon said teeth will force said plates,with the theretoattached top plate of the press, upward, and thus increase the depth ot' the opening within which the book or other article to be pressed is received, while by turning said disks in the reverse direction the spiral threads or coils on said disks Awill operate to draw down the top plate whenever it may be desired to decrease the vertical space within which the book is placed. The vertical slots K in the plates G permit of the free vertical movement thereof.

M represents the platen, which is formed separately from the top plate of the press and has movement independent thereof.

N represents springs, which at their rear ends are attached,either to lugs or pins on the inner faces of the plates G, as shown in Fig. 3, tothe standards B, as shown in Fig. 2, or to the top IOO plate of the press, as may be most convenient, their free ends extending to and impinging against the under face of the platen at each end, for the purpose of affording to said platen a yielding support, which, while sufficient to hold said platen in its position of rest, also servesto steady the saine duringits downward movement.

O represents a plunger, which passes through a hole, b, in the top plate, D, its lower end passing centrally through and being riveted to the under face of said platen. This plunger has at its upper end an enlargement or head having ears l?, each having a hole, c, and Q represents a lever adapted to rest and work between said ears. A shortv shaft, d, passes through said ears, and through a hole in the rear end of said lever, for the purpose of pivotally securing said lever within said ears. This lever Q is centrally pivoted,by means of a short shaft, e, between ears or standards R, extending upwardly from the casting S, attached to the top face of the top plate, D. The free end of this lever Qextendsinacurvi linear direction to the top of other ears or standards, T, extending upwardly from the casting S.

u represents a shaft having bearing transversely within the standards T, and on said shaft is a ca1n,V, which works between said ears as said shaft is rotated. This shaft at one end extends outward beyond the ears T, and has keyed thereto a handle or lever, XV.

In Fig. 7 I have shown amodiiication of my device for raising and lowering the end plates and top plate of the press. In this arrangeinent,instead ofthe notches or teeth H on the outer faces of plates G, I attach thereto a pin, j', and in lieu of the disk having spiral threads or coils on its inner face, I form the disk, with a cani-slot, g, so that as said disk is rotatedin one direction the said slot will operate upon one face of the pinf so as to force the sliding plate G upward, and on turning said disk in the reverse direction will operate upon the opposite face of said pin Iand draw down the sliding plate G. Upon raising the handle orlever W the shaft Vu will be rotated so as to bring the enlarged portion of the cam up beyond the top of the ears or standards T, and as said cam rises it pushes up the curvilinear end of the lever Q, and as such end of the lever Qrises its opposite end will, by reason of its central pivotal connection, be forced downward, and as it passes downward it will force down the plunger and the thereto-attached platen, and thus press the book or other article placed between the base-plate and the platen. The reverse movement of the lever or handle W will return the cam to its lowest position, and as the downward pressure of the plunger is released the springs N will force the platen upward to its position of rest and permit of the withdrawal of the pressed article.

X represents ahollow block attached to the casting S or top plate of the press beneath the eccentric V, and containing a lubricant or packing, a', in which the eccentric V works, `so as to insure the easy movement thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l 1. Thecombination,withaplaten, of aplunger attached thereto, a lever attached at its rear end to said plunger and havingacentral pivotal bearing, la cam adapted to operate upon said lever to force the plunger downward, and a lever or handle attached vto the camshaft for the purpose of oscillating the same, substantially as set forth.

2. In a copying-press, the-combination,with a base-plate provided at its ends with transverse standards having guideways at their ends, of a top plate,vertical end plates attached to said top plate and having teeth or projections, and rotary disks adapted to engage said projections and thus support and adjust said end and topplates, substantially as set forth.

3. In acopying-press, the combination,with a base-plate having transverse standards provided with guideways at their ends, of a top plate,vertical end plates attached to said top plate and having lugs or teeth on their outer faces, and rotary disks j ournaled in said standards and having on their inner faces spiral threads engaging said lugs or teeth, said disks being provided with thumb-pieces, by which they may be conveniently turned to adjust end plates and the top plate sustained thereby, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HORACE GRIFFIN. Witnesses:

H. W. SMITH, THERoN R. HULL. 

